Eric Dolphy’s “The Illinois Concert” is rare and its live! The description below is very accurate and fulfilling enough so I [...]

Eric Dolphy’s “The Illinois Concert” is rare and its live! The description below is very accurate and fulfilling enough so I don’t really need to add anything more but that it will be featured for a week or so. Check the schedule link for play times.

About the album:

Reeds player/composer/arranger Eric Dolphy was, in the early ’60s, in the vanguard of the free jazz movement, yet his music was not as “out” as that of some of his contemporaries. Dolphy played alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet in a free, more vocalized manner, but over more or less standard chord changes. THE ILLINOIS CONCERT, previously unreleased, is a noteworthy addition to Dolphy’s impressive body of work. Recorded live at the University of Illinois in 1963, this album captures him with a sympathetic, creative, and thoughtfully swinging rhythm section, as well as, on the last two tunes, the University’s brass ensemble and big band. Herbie Hancock’s lyrical piano is somewhat Monk-like and drummer J.C. Moses is busy, buoyant and powerful…….Read More

Jazz At The Philharmonic or JATP, as it also was known, began in Los Angeles in 1944 and lasted to 1983. It was a series [...]

Jazz At The Philharmonic or JATP, as it also was known, began in Los Angeles in 1944 and lasted to 1983. It was a series of Jazz concerts organized by Norman Granz and was held throughout the USA, Canada, throughout Europe, Australia and Japan (From Wikipedia):

Jazz at the Philharmonic ceased touring the United States and Canada, after the JATP concerts in the fall of 1957 (One final North American Tour in 1967!), but continued intermittently mainly in Europe and Japan until 1983, with the very last JATP concerts being performed in October, 1983, in Tokyo, Japan.

Recordings held by Verve Records of the first five years (1944–1949) of JATP have been issued in a Deluxe 10 CD Box Set.

This 1946 show, a classic gathering of jazz greats, makes for a recording that should be of interest to collectors and newcomers alike. Parker has many moments of sheer brilliance, such as his solo on this now-famous version of “Oh! Lady Be Good” (which apparently was so stunning none of the other instrumentalists wanted to follow him; the piano comps awkwardly afterwards until bassist Billie Hadnott takes a spot). Parker is joined by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young (whose playing is a more conservative, though no less elegant mirror of Bird’s own, and who also turns in a memorable solo on “Oh! Lady Be Good”). Fine versions of “I Can’t Get Started,” “After You’ve Gone” and “Sweet Georgia Brown,” (in which Bird, who was apparently late to the gig, can be heard walking onstage to applause mid-song, with one of the other musicians asking him “Hey man, where you been?”). The last three numbers, recorded at a later date, feature the killer trio of Parker, Hawkins and Young………Read More

This collaboration album are from recording sessions with tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and a number of superstars. Just take a look at the [...]

This collaboration album are from recording sessions with tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and a number of superstars. Just take a look at the the names listed on the album cover. Not to mention, it contains 19 songs and everyone of them is a gem! J.R. Monterose was a top notch Jazz musician who was rated right there with all the greats but decided to go incognito and away from all the major Jazz clubs. They are short songs and not one of them surpasses 5 minutes. Straight ahead Hard Bop for the Jazz Con Class Radio listeners to enjoy, the name of this album is “Jaywalkin.” This album feature will not contain all 19 songs but I will choose a good 45 minutes worth and they will be random. Check the schedule link for play times, enjoy!

About the album:

This is an illuminating series of three different sessions from the mid-’50s, where J.R. Monterose surrounds himself with crack players: Charles Mingus, Doug Watkins, Kenny Clarke, Jo Jones, Teddy Charles, Eddie Costa, Joe Puma, Ralph Sharon, and others. The sets are all groovin’-high treatments of everything from hard bop tunes of the era to an set of mostly Rodgers & Hart tunes completely turned upside down lyrically, harmonically, and rhythmically. Mingus, Clarke, Puma, Charles, and Sharon were the band for these cuts. While it begins with a Sharon original, it quickly moves into something wholly different. Mingus is waxing elegant here, invoking the Duke Ellington dictum of transforming everything into something else that’s newer and brighter. On “Have You Met Miss Jones,” Monterose gives the bassist the nod and he strolls out the melody, accenting it differently on every fourth beat; the saxophonist fills the middles with ostinato and Charles dances around the perimeter of Sharon and Clarke. On Gershwin’s “Love Walked In,” Sharon and Charles lead the front line, sweeping through the changes at a brisk but not bop pace for the entire melody before Charles solos his ass off on the chorus……Read More

Here’s another Lee Morgan album that I found hidden and a real classic! The Jazz Con Class Radio listeners here are going to [...]

Here’s another Lee Morgan album that I found hidden and a real classic! The Jazz Con Class Radio listeners here are going to enjoy this one to its fullest. Lee Morgan is an 18 year old year pioneer here, picking up where his idle Clifford Brown left off. The description below will inform you more about this interpretation of a well known Dizzy album. An very interesting note about this album is that it is made up of alternate takes. “Dizzy Atmosphere” will be featured for a week or so, check the schedule link for play times, enjoy!

About the album:

Trombonist Al Grey and tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell were the original stars of this 1957 recording, an offshoot of Dizzy Gillespie’s then-running big band. Within a couple of years of this date, however, trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Wynton Kelly emerged with careers of their own and today are the most well-known musicians to have been involved in the session. Morgan became known for his work with Art Blakey and for the Blue Note label, and Kelly through working with Miles Davis and Cannonball Adderly and leading his own trio. Due to the presence of Benny Golsen and Roger Spotts as arrangers (and composers of six out of eight tunes), this session comes off as more of a little-big-band event than the kind of hard-bop situation which Morgan in particular would soon come to epitomize. The four horns are lush and confidant…….Read More

Charlie Parker was known as the king of improvisation and changed the whole sound of Jazz. His style of playing began the era [...]

Charlie Parker was known as the king of improvisation and changed the whole sound of Jazz. His style of playing began the era of Bebop while Swing was the main choice of Jazz fans. His quick double speed of playing the saxophone was criticized and ridiculed as plain nonsense. For this reason, Charlie Parker had to make these sessions of standards with the inclusion of violins. He had to prove a point to those skeptics that were just not hip enough. These recordings, “Charlie Parker with Strings” was the perfect example to finally open the eyes of all those “Pop Music” brainwashed Americans who simply didn’t get it. Well, it worked and this album was Parker’s best selling work, believe it or not. This album is good to have handy when someone new to Jazz questions or is confused with the improvisational element that Charlie Parker brought to Jazz and finally freed the musician (any musician) from all the restraints that can hamper his or her musical development. After listening to these recording sessions, all these confused listeners will finally understand Bebop and will realize that Charlie Parker was a genius. I will feature this album for a week or so, check the schedule link for play times.

About the album:

Recorded in New York between December 1947 and 1952. Includes liner notes by Joe Goldberg and Norman Granz. This is an expanded version of the early-’50s album that broadened Charlie Parker’s audience by focusing on the beautiful lyricism of his playing. These recordings feature Parker’s alto saxophone over a gorgeous bed of strings, but perhaps an even more significant departure is the fact that he simplified his phrasing. His wondrously uncurling ribbons of notes are supplanted by the confident ease with which he embraces each of these melodies, dancing through and around them and never losing their essential character. On an album of back-to-back standouts, “April in Paris” is a towering beauty. Comprised primarily of what were–or have since become–standards, this is as fine a place as any to see exactly why Parker is perhaps the preeminent improviser in the history of jazz……..Read More

Louis Armstrong is the greatest contributor to Jazz music, so I will be featuring Satchmo on each and every Sunday. There will be [...]

Louis Armstrong is the greatest contributor to Jazz music, so I will be featuring Satchmo on each and every Sunday. There will be three one-hour time slots strategically placed throughout the day so all the Jazz Con Class Radio listeners could be awake to hear it. “Satchmo on Sundays” will range with all from his early days to the end of his career. Check the schedule link and Sunday for play times.

Oh yes! This is a great Freddie Hubbard album to treasure and for three reasons. First of all, its his debut album as [...]

Oh yes! This is a great Freddie Hubbard album to treasure and for three reasons. First of all, its his debut album as a leader. Secondly, he has the support from three monster Jazz musicians, Tina Brooks (Tenor Sax), McCoy Tyner (Piano), Clifford Jarvis (Drums) and Sam Jones on the Bass. Lastly, it’s Hard Bop at its very best, this album is ranked up there with all the greatest Jazz recordings. “Open Sesame” will be featured for a week or so, check the schedule link for play times. ENJOY!

About the album:

Open Sesame (1960) was Freddie Hubbard’s first record as a leader. If it was his only record it would be legendary, but within two years he had recorded four better ones. What raised the other records above Open Sesame was the drummers: Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, and Louis Hayes. There is nothing wrong with Clifford Jarvis—he swings, he interacts with the other players, and he fits the band’s conservative concept. But on his best records Hubbard fed off his drummer’s energy. That does not happen here.

According to the liner notes Tina Brooks was studying with Jackie McLean at the time of this session, and he does mirror McLean’s penetrating, bluesy sound. He solos with logic and passion but without McLean’s fire and edge. As a writer Brooks contributes the two best tunes of the session: “Open Sesame,” a close relative to Sonny Rollins’ “Airegin”, and “Gypsy Blue,” a blues that inspires Hubbard…….Read More

Contrary to the description below I feel the Jazz Con Class Radio listeners will enjoy this album feature very much. There is plenty [...]

Contrary to the description below I feel the Jazz Con Class Radio listeners will enjoy this album feature very much. There is plenty of depth and soul in this 1962 album and where the Adderly brothers traveled to New Orleans to record with three well known artists from the area where it all started. Ellis Marsalis rocks on the piano, he’s the father and part of the very popular New Orleans based musical clan (Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo and Jason). Tenor Nat Perrilliat is sharp and drummer James Black plays in harmony with the great bass player Sam Jones, who the Adderly’s brought along to make it easy on everybody. We all know very well that anything and everything Cannonball and Nat have to do with is pure gold, there are no exceptions! Great stuff, nobody will be short changed here but then again, you be the judge. “In the Bag” will be featured for a week or so, check the schedule link for play times. ENJOY!

About the album:

Digitally remastered by Phil De Lancie (1991, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). This CD reissue (which as an earlier Lp reissue came out under Cannonball Adderley’s name with the title of The Adderley Brothers In New Orleans) was a bit unusual for cornetist Nat Adderley and altoist Cannonball (along with bassist Sam Jones) teamed up with three of the more significant modern New Orelans musicians of the 1960’s: Nat Perrilliat on tenor, drummer James Black and the then-unknown pianist Ellis Marsalis. The repertoire they perform is quite fresh but there is less excitement than one might hope……Read More

Testimonials By The Listeners

As a college English and Fine Arts professor, I have spent many long days and nights grading and writing papers with your station as my soundtrack. I can't thank you enough for the perfect score for such work, which I've been leaning on for the last four years. I've always been obsessed with jazz, but like many fans, I'm selective and looking to avoid the obvious. Jazz Con Class hits all the right notes, and while I love to hear my favorites (Bird, Trane, Monk, Morgan, Hubbard, Blakey), the variety of deep cuts is what brings me back. Thank you for the thoughtful intent and love for this music that shines through in every playlist.